Fountain roller indexing drive for printing press

ABSTRACT

A printing press fountain roller drive, in which an annular member is radially inclinable upon a press-driven shaft, and is connected to a yoke and yoke shaft, for changing the press drive train motion to an oscillating motion of variable magnitude. A one-way drive is attached to the yoke shaft for changing the oscillatory yoke shaft motion to an intermittent indexing motion of variable magnitude in the fountain roller.

United States Patent Leonard L. Talel La Grange, 111.;

Larry G. Taylor, Plano, Tex. 831,544

June 9, 1969 July 6, 1971 Miehle-Goss-Dexter Incorporated Chicago, 111.

Inventors Appl. N 0. Filed Patented Assignee FOUNTAIN ROLLER INDEXING DRIVE FOR PRINTING PRESS [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 383,407 5/1888 Moehring et a1 74/839 1,986,160 1/1935 Pomeroy 192/41 Primary Examiner-William F. ODea Assistant Examiner-Wesley S. Ratliff, Jr. Attorney-Wolfe, Hubbard, Leydig, Voit & Osann ABSTRACT: A printing press fountain roller drive, in which an annular member is radially inclinable upon a press-driven shaft, and is connected to a yoke and yoke shaft, for changing the press drive train motion to an oscillating motion of variable magnitude. A one-way drive is attached to the yoke shaft for changing the oscillatory yoke shaft motion to an intermittent indexing motion of variable magnitude in the fountain roller.

if if; y 1 I l i /lmuu =1 1k j) J2 I /d If i ab] qz/ Lii'iph- FoUN'rAIn ROLLER INDEXING DRIVE FOR PRINTING PRESS DESCRIPTION OFTHE INVENTION This invention relates generally to printing presses and more particularly concerns a drive for indexing the fountain roller of a ductor-type ink supply.

Modern printing presses often em loy a ductor-type ink supply system. In such systems, a fountain roller is employed to deliver printing ink-from the troughlike fountain to suitable pickup or ductor rollers, which swing in an are between the fountain roller and an ink-receiving ink drum. For various reasons, it has been found undesirable to continuously revolve the fountain roller. Instead, good printing press operating practice requires that the fountainroller which is carried in the ink bath or fountain be rotated only intermittently, or indexed, so as to present a freshly inked surface to the ductor roller during periods of ductor roller-fountain roller contact.

It is the primary aim of this invention to provide a simple, efficient and rugged drive for indexing the fountain roller of a ductor-type ink supply.

It is another object to provide a fountain roller indexing device wherein the magnitude of the indexing motion of the fountain roller can be adjusted from no motion at all to a relatively large motion.

It is yet another object to provide such a drive wherein the magnitude of indexing motion can be infinitely varied throughout a given range.

It is a further object to provide such an indexing device which can be adjusted by a simple hand-rotated screw.

It is a still further object to provide a fountain roller indexing device wherein the magnitude of the indexing motion can be adjusted even while the press is running, thereby allowing accurate control of printing quality.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary section of a printing press showing a fountain roller press drive embodying the invention, and

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary section taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing in more detail the means for adjusting the radial inclination of the annular member upon the drive shaft.

While the invention will be described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that we do not intend to limit the invention to that embodiment. On the contra- I ry, we intend to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Turning first to FIG. 1, there is shown a fountain roller drive embodying the invention and mounted upon a press frame 11 by means of a mounting frame 12. A power shaft 13 connected to the press drive (not shown) rotates at press speed and operates a fountain roller 14 through the drive 10. A fountain drive shaft 16 and bevel gears 17 connect the power shaft 13 to the drive 10. The power shaft 13 and the drive shaft 16 rotate in a single direction with a constant angular velocity dependent upon press speed.

In accordance with the invention, rotation of the drive shaft 16 is changed to a continuous, regular, bidirectional, oscillating motion ofa yoke shaft 18 by an annular member 19 and a yoke 20, and the oscillating motion of the yoke shaft 18 is, in turn, changed to a unidirectional intermittent indexing motion of the fountain roller 14 by a one-way drive 23 connecting the fountain roller 14 and yoke shaft 18. The period of oscillation in the yoke shaft 18 is controlled solely by the press drive, but the magnitude of the oscillation is controlled by an adjusting means 22. When the annular member 19 is radially inclined to the drive shaft 16 by a maximum amount as shown in FIG. 2, the magnitude of the yoke shaft oscillations will be maximized. Experimentation has shown that 40 of radial inclination by the annular member 19 from the perpendicular with respect to the drive shaft 16 is the maximum preferable inclination to prevent undue strain being imparted to the roller drive parts. When the annular member 19 is positioned perpendicularly to the drive shaft 16, no oscillating motion is caused in the yoke shaft 18.

In the present embodiment, the annular member 19 is a spool having a circumference 28 sandwiched by flanges 29, and is pivotally mounted upon and connected to the drive shaft 16 by a spool pivot pin 25. The spool pin 25 has its axis 26 oriented perpendicularly to the drive shaft axis 27. The yoke 20 is coupled to th'e spool member 19 through rollers 21 which are journaled on {the arms of the yoke to ride between the flanges 29 of the spool member. As the drive shaft 16 rotates, the inclined spool member rotates with it, and the rol lers 21 and the yoke 20 follow the undulatory motion of the spool circumference 28, thereby causing oscillatory motion of the yoke shaft 18.

Preferably, the one-way drive 23 comprises an overriding clutch 23a interposed between the shaft 18 and a spur gear 23b that drives, through a gear 23c, the fountain roller 14. When the yoke shaft 18 rotates in one direction, the one-way drive 23 causes indexing motion in the fountain roller 14, but when the yoke shaft 18 reverses its rotation, the one-way clutch 23a overruns and causes no movement in the fountain roller 14.

The adjusting means 22 is capable of varying the inclination of the spool member 19 on the pin 25 while the press is running. For this purpose, the means 22 includes a sleeve 30 mounted for rotation and axial sliding movement upon the drive shaft 16, and the sleeve is linked to the spool member by a pivoted link 31. A thrust bearing 34 journals the sleeve 30 and a collar 35, which includes a collar slide 36 riding in a bore 37 in the mounting frame 12, and a collar yoke 38 fixed to the collar slide 36. The collar yoke 38 and collar slide 36 do not rotate with the sleeve 30, since the collar yoke 38 is splined within the bore 37 by a key 380.

An adjusting screw 39 engages the collar 35 so as to position the collar yoke 38, thrust bearing 34 and sleeve 30 along the drive shaft 16. In the present embodiment, this engagement is provided a key 40 and a locking nut 41, which prohibit the adjusting screw 39 from rotating with respect to the collar yoke 38.

To secure the adjusting screw 39 and thus the collar 35 in a selected position along the drive shaft axis, the nut mechanism 45 is provided. As illustrated here, the mechanism 45 includes an adjusting nut 46 rotatably carried by a housing cover 47 and threaded upon the adjusting screw 39. A small handwheel 48 is keyed upon the adjusting nut 46, and is axially retained thereupon by a snap ring 49. Axial motion of the handwheel 48 and adjusting nut 46 is prevented by a flange 46a on the adjusting nut 46 which bears upon a housing cover 47 secured to the frame 12. Thus, when the handwheel 49 and adjusting nut 46 are rotated, the threadably engaged adjusting screw 39 is driven along the extended drive shaft 116. A locknut 50, provided with an operating lever 50a, is also threaded upon the adjusted screw 39, and can be selectively jammed against the handwheel 48 to positively prohibit the rotation thereof and consequent motion of any associated parts.

In the preferred construction, a stop setscrew 51 carried by the collar yoke 38 bears against the mounting frame 12 when the maximum 40 of annular member inclination is reached. Another stop setscrew 51a secured in the housing cover 47 is positioned to engage a lug 52 on the yoke 38 when the annular member 19 is inclined at 0, or perpendicularly, to the drive shaft 18. These two stop setscrews thus define the limits of the indexing range of the fountain roller 14 by limiting the allowable inclination of the annular member 19.

By unlocking the locknut 50 and simply rotating the handwheel 48, the magnitude of the indexing motion in the fountain roller 14 can be varied from no motion at all to a relatively large motion. This indexing motion can, of course, be infinitely varied throughout the given range, and such adjustment can be made even while the press is running, thereby allowing accurate control of printing quality.

We claim as ourinvention:

1. in a printing press having a fountain roller journaled in a frame, the combination comprising, a drive shaft in the frame, rotating with press speed in a single direction, an annular member mounted uponthe drivd shaft for rotation therewith, means for adjusting the radial inclination of the annular member relative to the drive shaft, a yoke shaft, a yoke connecting the yoke shaft and said annular member for changing the motion of the annular membentowa continuous regular.

bidirectional oscillating motion'of the 'yoke shaft when the annular member is radially inclined'o nithe drive shaft, a pivot member connecting the annular member and drive shaft and ing the inclination of the annular member relative to the drive shaft includes the combination of a sleeve mounted upon said drive shaft and being axially slidable thereon, meaning linking the sleeve and the annular member for rotating the annular member about is said pivotal mount upon the drive shaft, thereby adjusting the inclination of the annular member relative to the drive shaft when=the sleeve is axially moved upon the drive shaft, adjusting means for urging the sleeve into a selected position alongthe axis of the drive shaft, and means for locking the sleeve in the selected axial position. W

3. The combinationj'of claim 2, wherein said adjusting means for urging the sleeve into a selected position along the axis of the drive shaft'iricludes the combination of a thrust bearing mounted uponsaid sleeve, a collar mounted upon the bearing for axial movement along the axis of said drive shaft with the sleeve, at least one'adjusting screw engaging the collar for positioning the collar and the sleeve along the drive shaft axis, and means for securing the adjusting screw, collar, bearing and sleeve in a selected position along the drive shaft arms. 

1. In a printing press having a fountain roller journaled in a frame, the combination comprising, a drive shaft in the frame rotating with press speed in a single direction, an annular member mounted upon the drive shaft for rotation therewith, means for adjusting the radial inclination of the annular member relative to the drive shaft, a yoke shaft, a yoke connecting the yoke shaft and said annular member for changing the motion of the annular member to a continuous regular bidirectional oscillating motion of the yoke shaft when the annular member is radially inclined on the drive shaft, a pivot member connecting the annular member and drive shaft and having its axis perpendicular to the axis of the drive shaft, said means for adjusting being connected to rotate the annular member about the pivot member while the drive shaft is turning, thereby adjusting the inclination of the annular member relative to the drive shaft, and a one-way drive connecting said fountain roller and said yoke shaft for changing the motion of the yoke shaft to a unidirectional intermittent indexing motion of the fountain roller.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the means for adjusting the inclination of the annular member relative to the drive shaft includes the combination of a sleeve mounted upon said drive shaft and being axially slidable thereon, meaning linking the sleeve and the annular member for rotating the annular member about is said pivotal mount upon the drive shaft, thereby adjusting the inclination of the annular member relative to the drive shaft when the sleeve is axially moved upon the drive shaft, adjusting means for urging the sleeve into a selected position along the axis of the drive shaft, and means for locking the sleeve in the selected axial position.
 3. The combination of claim 2, wherein said adjusting means for urging the sleeve into a selected position along the axis of the drive shaft includes the combination of a thrust bearing mounted upon said sleeve, a collar mounted upon the bearing for axial movement along the axis of said drive shaft with the sleeve, at least one adjusting screw engaging the collar for positioning the collar and the sleeve along the drive shaft axis, and means for securing the adjusting screw, collar, bearing and sleeve in a selected position along the drive shaft axis. 